Non-invasive, non-destructible analysis of whole tablets can be carried out by means of near-infrared (NIR) or Raman spectrometry. Today, NIR spectroscopy is a recognised technique for performing a fast analysis of compounds. The common feature of both these techniques is that they utilise light in the NIR wavelength region (700–2500 nm, specifically 700–1500 nm) where pharmaceutical tablets are relatively transparent (low molar absorptivity). That is, light can in this region penetrate compressed powders several mm:s why information in the content can be obtained emanating from the bulk of the tablet and not only from the surface. A practical advantage of using NIR radiation is that diode lasers can be used.
One example of such an analysis is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,760,399, assigned to Foss NIRsystems Inc. This document discloses an instrument for performing a NIR spectrographic transmission measurement of a pharmaceutical tablet. This instrument is, however, capable of providing only limited information as to the content of a sample, typically the quantity of a particular component in a sample. This prior-art instrument cannot provide detailed information of, for example, the three-dimensional distribution of one or more components in a sample. The technical background on which this limitation is based will be further discussed in connection with the description of the present invention.
The prior art also includes a significant amount of methods for optical imaging of human tissues, in particular for detecting disturbances of homogeneity, such as the presence of a tumour in human tissue. These methods are generally qualitative measurements, not quantitative, in the sense that they primarily focus on determining the presence and the location of an inhomogeneity. These prior-art methods are not suitable for performing a quantitative analysis on pharmaceutical, turbid samples, such as tablets and capsules, in order to determine e.g. content and structural parameters.